Police misconduct suspensions in South Asia

In early August 2026, reports emerged of police officers being suspended over sexual‑assault allegations in two South Asian cities. In Lucknow, India, Senior Sub‑Inspector Dharmveer Shahi was suspended and booked after a B.Ed student accused him of exploitation, assault and threats; the case was transferred to a senior commissioner for investigation. Simultaneously, in Lahore, Pakistan, the entire staff of the Ghaziabad police precinct – 78 officers and personnel – was suspended after an assistant sub‑inspector was accused of raping an intellectually disabled woman inside the station.

Two days later, coverage focused on the Lahore incident, detailing the Deputy Inspector General of Operations Faisal Kamran’s order for the mass suspension and the launch of a gender‑crime wing investigation. The report highlighted a recent directive barring women from remaining at police stations after Maghrib, cited activist condemnation of systemic abuse, and underscored calls for safer police facilities for women.